Frozen Fire

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cards

It was the first time Phoenix ever spoke to me. 

We never really acknowledged each other's presence until now. Nakikita ko lang siya sa hallway o di kaya't sa cafeteria, yun lang.

There was this one time though. It was years ago. He was bullying a lanky freshman in the hallway for accidentally bumping unto him.

Kahit na wala akong pake sa maraming bagay, hinding hindi ako pipikit nalang sa mga ganoong pangyayari.

The kid was scared as hell and this domineering upperclassman was intimidating him because he bumped into him.

I remember the hallway being so quiet when I walked into the scene. The sound of my heeled black leather shoes resounded through the hallways like that of a terror professor's as I stepped towards the scene.

Hindi pa ganoon kahaba ang buhok niya. It was longer than a clean cut but it wasn't as it is now.

Napatingin sa akin si Phoenix na hawak hawak ang kwelyo ng freshman.

Nanginginig namang lumingon sa akin ang freshman.

I coldly looked at them.

"Is this how this university welcomes new stakeholders?" I asked. Walang bakas ng kahit ano sa mukha ko.

Phoenix stared at me. He looks like he was in a really foul mood. Distaste was painted on his lips.

I heard some people gasp.

A first year nobody calling out a notorious sophomore.

I was also a freshman and I had the gal to reprimand a sophomore who's feared and loved by the university despite being only in his second year.

Dahil doon ay naging laman ako ng chismis ng mga estudyante. Kesyo raw I did that to get Phoenix' attention. I was trying to be 'different' kuno.

I remembered rolling my eyes at the accusation. Hindi ko nalang ito pinansin and went about my day-to-day schooling ignoring them.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganoon ang mga tao. If I were them, I'd focus myself on other productive things like studying instead of gossiping about someone.

These people were trying so hard to elicit a reaction and that's exactly why I would never give them that.

Dalawang taon na rin nang mangyari iyon at nakalimot na rin ang lahat.

There were news of him bullying students here and there and pulling nonsensical pranks to teachers but most of them are just accusations.

Malinis itong gumalaw at ang tanging rason lang kung bakit siya napapapagbintangan ay dahil sa reputasyon niya. 

He also knows how to play with his connections and use it to his advantage. 

There were no clear evidences of his evil doings kung kaya't hindi siya nakikick out despite the numerous claims against him.

Isa pa, isang banggit lang ng apelyido niya ay magdadalawang isip na ang mga tao kung kakalabanin ba nila ito.

The latter part of last year though, biglang tumahimik ang university.

No brawls, no commotions, no mischief against clueless authorities.

Nothing.

Then, the first day of his senior year, he comes barging in our classroom being a helpful little angel that he is clearly not.